Egg-candler.



i. 1. RHINE.

EGG CANDLER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3. |915.

Patented July 25, 1916.

2`sHE'ETs-SHEET l f f I l l l I I I 0 Illllll IVAN J. RHrNn'or Brunson, IOWA.

EGG-CANDLER.

Application filed .Tuly 3, 1915.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, IVAN J. RHINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pierson, in the county of lrVoodbury and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Egg-Candlers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention has relation to means for testing` eggs by the process of candling, thereby enabling badi and inferior eggs to be separated from the good eggs, the purpose being to provide means whereby the process may be expedited and simplified without requiring the eggs to be severally handled.

The invention embodies novel means whereby the eggs contained in a crate may be removed therefrom in layers and transferred to another crate, such eggs being candled during the transfer without requiring the removal of the eggs from the filler.

With these and other objects in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter lfully described and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, v

but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the invention as claimed may be resorted to when desired.

Referring to the drawings,-Figure l is a perspective view of egg testing means embodying the invention Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section of the candler, tray and filler; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the tray and a portion of the candler; Fig. 4 is an end view of a portion of the tray and filler; Fig. 5 are detail views of masks for covering portions of the filler.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The invention comprises a candler and a tray cooperating therewith of peculiar form. In the practical operation of the invention a suitable support is necessary for receiving the several parts, such as the crate containing the eggs to be candled, a second Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 38,000.

are inclined slightly to the vertical, withl their upper edge portions inclining rearwardly. This arrangement of the crates prevents the fillers and the eggs contained in the fillers from outward and forward displacement. rIhe candler 6 is placed upon the support between the crates 4 and `5. The fillers containing the eggs are removed from the crate 4, one at a time, and are transferred to the crate 5, the eggs being tested during such transfer by means of the candler 6. The fillers generally consist of strips of pasteboard disposed to form cells, such strips having'slits formed in their edge portions to form interlocking joints. The fillers are separated by flats 7 which usually consist of pieces of pasteboard of a size approximating the dimensions of the fillers. The iiats 7 retain the eggs in the respective fillers and are utilized in the transfer of the eggs from one case to the other.

The candler 6 is of box-form and is provided with an interior lining 8 of metal which acts as a reflector. 4Tlhe bottom 9 of the lining is spaced a short distance from Patented July 25, 1916.

rI`he rests the bottom of the box. or frame structure, l

of the candler. The lining of the candler has its exposed walls highly polished so as to reflect the light and thereby assist materially in the ltesting or candling process. A lamp 10 is disposed within thecandler and is preferably of the electric type and is included in a circuit embodying the switch 11 by means of which the current may be turned on or off as occasion may require. An opening is formed in the top of the candler of a size approximating the dimensions of a filler to admit of all the eggs contained in a filler being exposed at one time to the rays of light. For centering the filler, strips12 are disposed upon the top of the candler on o-pposite sides of the opening.

A tray 13 'forms an essential part of the ico invention and is preferably constructed of sheet metal of a size approximating the outline of the lillers. A plurality of openings 14 are formed in the tray 13 in position to correspond with the cells of the fillers so as to receive the ends of the eggs which enter the openings 14 and close such openings thereby compelling the rays of light to penetrate the eggs to a. greater or less extent according to the condition of such eggs. rlhe tray 13 is formed along one edge with a plurality of projections 15 which are adapted to engage an edge of the filler at points intermediate of the strips. rIhe projections 15 preferably form an integral part of the tray. An edge portion of the tray is bent at a right angle and portions are removed from such bent edge to form V-shaped spaces 16 which coincide with the strips of a filler, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 4. rlhe edges of adjacent projections 15 flare outwardly and serve to engage the projecting ends of the filler strips and direct the tray when placing the same in position, thereby bringing the openings 14 of the tray in line with the cells or' the filler so that the eggs may drop into the openings 14 in proper position for candling during the testing process.

In the operation of the invention a crate 4 lilled with eggs to be candled is placed upon one end of the support and is inclined by the wedge-shaped rests An empty crate 5 is placed upon the opposite end portion of the support upon the remaining rests 8 and is inclined thereby. The tray 13 is placed over the top-most filler in one-half of the crate 4, the projections 15 being disposed at the lower end of the iller and coming between the projecting ends of the liller strips. The tray, filler and adjacent l'lat 7 are tilted forward at their upper edges after which such parts are removed from the crate 4 and the tray turned to assume a horizontal position with the result that the eggs contained in the Iiller will drop into the openings 14 of the tray. The tray and iiller are now placed upon the Candler and the flat is removed, thereby exposing the eggs from above. .The switch 11 is now operated to close the circuit and the light shining through the eggs in the manner well understood enables the eggs to be tested in the usual way. After the eggs have been candled the flat is replaced upon the iiller and the tray is lifted from the candler and transferred to the case 5 into which the flat, iller and tray are introduced and when the ller reaches the limit of its movement in the crate 5 the tray is removed to be again used in the manner stated. The operation is repeated for each ller of the crate 4, the eggs being transferred to the crate 5 as the candling process progresses.

In the event or' its being required to candle a partially filled filler a mask 17 or 18, such as indicated in F ig. 5 is employed. rIhese masks cover the empty cells of the iiller, thereby preventing the light from interfering with the candling process. The mask 17 consists oit' an oblong blank whereas the mask 1S consists of a blank having the dimensions of a iiller and formed with openings 19, which may be arranged to register with cells of the filler containing the eggs to be tested. The precise shape and construction of the mask is immaterial so long as it suihces to cover that portion of the filler which may be empty or containing eggs not required to be candled.

Havin g thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In an egg tester, a candler, a tray for transferring the fillers from a crate, together with the eggs therein to the candler and for placing the fillers and eggs into a crate, said tray being formed with a plurality of openings coinciding' with the cells of the lillers and having a` plurality of projections along one edge to engage between the projecting ends of the filler strips.

2. In van egg tester, a Candler, a tray for transferring the Fillers from a crate, together with the eggs therein to the candler and for placing the fillers and eggs into a crate, said tray being formed with a plurality of openings coinciding with the cells of the i'illers and having a plurality of projections along one edge to engage with an edge of the liller, said projections having their adjacent edges outwardly flared to form guides to properly position the tray when placing the same in the crate.

3. In means for testing eggs, a sheet metal tray provided with a plurality of openings coinciding with the cells of a iller and having an edge portion bent substantially at a rightl angle and having V-shaped spaces formed therein to provide projections for engaging an edge of the filler intermediate the projecting ends or' the ller strips.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

IVAN J. annua. [L s] Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Batents, Washington, D. G, 

